1. Field of Invention
This invention relates in general to computers, and more particularly, to a system for automatically recognizing a user's busy state and assigning a do not disturb filter.
2. Description of Background
Today, many users at home or work are on-line with many collaboration tools and devices where other people can contact them. These collaboration tools/devices can be synchronous such as instant messaging, telephone, cellular, VoIP phone, intercom, etc. Alternatively, these collaboration tools/devices may be a synchronous such as e-mail, voicemail indicator, notifications from any other collaboration application. Not all but some of these collaboration tools and devices provide features for native support of do not disturb (DND) switches. As it is defined today the DND feature is a state defined by the tool/device user to ignore and block any incoming communication.
There are inherent problems with the DND feature, as it exists today. Such problems include, (1) the user has to turn the DND feature on manually. This generally does not occur prior to the first interruption while the user is busy. Secondly, (2) DND is typically a static list identifying when a user can or cannot be contacted. There is no organic DND list that grows or shrinks intelligently. Thirdly, (3) DND has only two stages, which are on or off. There is no definition for level of DND. Last, (4) multiple tools and devices are not connected to the same DND switch so the user has to specifically remember to turn the DND on for all of the tools and devices separately.
Thus, there is a need for a system for automatically recognizing a user's busy state and assigning a DND filter.